When it’s either you or them, get rid of the bad bugs in your garden with an organic Rhubarb Leaf Pesticide Spray.
Normally, I’m the kind of gal who likes to take a whole “wait and see” approach. I don’t like to meddle in the garden and I like to see if the good bugs and birds in the garden will come to my rescue, save the day, kill the bad bugs, and I get to walk off with all the spoil. Harvest. Spoil. Same, same. But not a spoiled harvest. That’s not the same.
Anyway, I’m waking up bright and early (nearly) every morning and heading out to the garden before the sun hits it full on. I’m talking 6-6:30 early. Since Jared is sitting on my side of the milk bucket then, I’m at liberty to do that. (Or sleep in. It’s a tough decision, and most days, rising early wins.)
While I’m waiting for the good bugs to come to my rescue, I have to help myself out a bit and wage my own little skirmish with the garden bugs. In this case a squash beetle or two, I saw one squash vine borer this morning, but mostly it’s those beautifully ugly little striped or spotted cucumber beetles I’m after.
I’ve noticed after years of fighting, (yeah, I’m slow) that they are a bit on the sluggish side before the sun hits them. That or they are engaged in acts of reproductivity. It’s then that I’m able to seize the moment and squish the living daylights out of them. What a way to wake up.
For both them and me.
This morning when I went out there, I realized something though.
I’m losing.
Every day there is one more plant lost to wilt.
It kills me to pull them. I see the baby vegetables forming! But I know that if I leave them the disease the beetles are carrying, bacterial wilt, will be more easily spread.
If I keep losing plants at this rate, there will be none left in a week and a half and with the first summer squash ready to be harvested maybe tomorrow, that makes for one lousy yield. Now we can’t have that, can we?
It’s me. Or them.
Organic Rhubarb Leaf Pesticide Spray
So I made the difficult decision to try making an all-natural, organic pesticide. With the scraps from yesterday’s dessert of Ginger Spiced Rhubarb Custard (Which was ridiculously decadent. I ate two.) I brewed up a batch of Rhubarb Leaf Pesticide Spray.
How to Make Rhubarb Leaf Pesticide Spray
It’s really simple to make Rhubarb Leaf Pesticide Spray.
1.) Add the rhubarb leaves to a stockpot
2.) Cover with water.
3.) Bring to a boil.
4.) Keep it there for 30 minutes or so. It’s not rocket science.
5.) Skim off the leaves and sediment. It’s probably best to do it with a funnel and some cheesecloth.
6.) Add to your spray bottle and dilute it. I did a ratio of 1 part rhubarb leaf liquid to 2 parts water.
7.) Spray the leaves of the insect-ravaged plant.
How to Use Rhubarb Leaf Pesticide Spray
Since pesticides kill indiscriminately, I chose to do this in the evening just before the sun went down. I can still see. The beetles are still out and about, but the bees and other pollinators have gone home for the night.
I wouldn’t spray this on vegetables just before harvest. I mean, I doubt it would kill you, but you’re not supposed to eat rhubarb leaves because they are poisonous. That’s the part you’re taking advantage of here. We’re hoping the insects will get it on them, munch on the leaves a bit, and die. (Cue the sinister laughter.) Not you.
I wish I didn’t have to resort to using Rhubarb Leaf Pesticide Spray, even though it is as organic as a pesticide can get. I hate knowing that there are going to be innocent casualties in this battle for my food, but in the end, I’ve got a family to feed and I can’t handle any more than this lousy gardening year has already turned out to be.
I had heard of that recipe before… Planning on growing rhubarb next year for many reason, that being one of them. I never had problems with bugs until we started planting broccoli, cabbages and cauliflower. Live and learn! 🙂 Good luck…
Those are so difficult for me to grow! I had one good year and then nothing in the 5 years since- NOTHING! Even when we row covered they found their way in. So frustrating. This year has been looking good for cabbage, but the our meat chickens escaped and ate through about a quarter of it. It’s always something isn’t it? 🙂 Hope you enjoy the rhubarb and that the spray gets you some brassicas!
How do I get rid of cucumber beetles?
Excellent question and I eagerly await someone to give us an answer. I feel like I’ve tried every trick in the book! This spray seemed to deter them somewhat. Otherwise I’ve heard diligent row covering (easier said than done with cucumbers especially…) and now the spotted ones are on my beans. That’s a first for me.
What can I do with the remaining leaves after straining?
You could compost them.
Muy interesante . Gracias
How did this spray work out for you? Was it effective?
How did this spray work out for you? Was it effective?
When I am weeding in the fields I often bring a big ol trug out with me with water in it for me to wash the sweat off my face and dirt off my hands. i forgot the trug one evening, which is yellow, and the next morning when I went back out I discovered a whole bunch of cucumber beetles and colorado potato beetles in it and they had drowned. Apparently these beetles are attracted to the color yellow. I have heard of people making traps by painting rectangles yellow and then painting Tanglefoot on it which is some sticky substance but I don’t know how organic it is, then hanging it on a stick near the plants they are attacking. The insects land on it and are stuck. I don’t know though if beneficial insects would be harmed in this way….are they similarly attracted to yellow, I don’t know. There were not any in my bucket of water though but that could have been because they were not out in the cooler parts of the evening to morning. Just my obserbations!
Well you can bet that I’m totally trying this Donna and if it works you are my hero! I did try a homemade sticky trap but it didn’t end up being sticky enough. The beetles went for it, were stuck for a time, but when I went back they were gone. Thanks so much for sharing!!
hey hi, I used the leaves and boiled them as you did. This was years ago and did not cut it with water. I heard it from my farmer neighbor in his 80’s. I sprayed it directly on my potato plants , over the leaves, stock and covered the bugs that were there as well. The bugs fell off immediately. I checked on them the next day and the bugs were still there but when I checked the day following there were none to be found, then, or for the rest of the year. I didn’t use it again after that as I was concerned if it would get into the potatoes and what that would mean for us eating them. Didn’t notice any difference in the taste and didn’t get sick eating them.